Languages News

Japan Tour 2016

In the midnight hour of Thursday September 9, 19 young travellers set out for the East with chaperones Ms Warner and Mr Witt.

Arriving in Japan at Kansai International Airport the 19 young ones began their exploration of the world’s most exciting vending machines and awesome convenience stores, remarkable fashion, ancient structures, vibrant cities, world heritage sites, inquisitive deer, amazing food and beverages and along the way, found friendship, a new family, inspiration and appreciation of others.

Mr Witt maintained a blog of the Journey which you can access at http://nhsjapan.blogspot.com.au/

The group of Japanese language students in Years 10 and 11 travelled through Kyoto, Nagoya, Takayama, Shirakawa go and Tokyo.

In Kyoto, we stayed in a traditional Japanese Inn and visited the Golden Pavillion - Kinkakuji, Nijo Castle and Kiyomizudera. We travelled out to Nara to visit Deer Park and the Buddha housed in Todaiji. Some of our students got along very well with the deer. At the end of our time in Kyoto we welcomed our Principal, Roger Page to join us on our journey.

In Nagoya, we were welcomed by the Vice Governor of Aichi Prefecture and the students had an opportunity to formally introduce themselves to delegates of the Aichi Prefectural Government in Japanese. Mr Page made a formal welcome and thanks and our Tour Leader Rona Goldman made a speech on behalf of Nossal. We accepted beautiful gifts from the Aichi Prefecture and were then escorted to the Nagoya Castle. There we met with Emu Mizoe, Nossal’s past Japanese Language Assistant who joined us for the rest of the day touring Nagoya castle and the local area of Ozu. Students explored and one student Ryan performed a mock battle to the death with the Ninja warriors at the castle. Students came back from the shopping district of Osu with many fluffy companions.

The following day we visited Toyohashi Higashi High School in outer Nagoya and spent the day at the school. The Principal, Mr Baito and Mimi (Misato Tozuka- Japanese exchange teacher from 2015) welcomed us and then spent the day with us. It was the first experience at a Japanese school for the Nossal students and they had a great time in English club playing games and meeting new friends.

We then headed up into the Japan Alps to spend 3 days in Takayama and Shirakawa go. We stayed in a Buddhist Temple in Takayama and in a tradition folk home - a Gassho Zukuri in Shirakawa go. Students wandered the towns in their yukata and geta (wooden sandles), sampled the Famous Hida beef and Miso vegetables and experienced the Japanese hot spring - Onsen.

We then travelled on the new Shinkansen (bullet Train from Toyama to Tokyo) and headed out to Mobara, spending a week with a Japanese family and attending Chosei Senior High School. At the Welcome Assembly, Mr Page blew the crowd away with his Japanese and English greetings, Rona Goldman demonstrated her linguistic excellence and Ryan Chen won them over with his warmth and humour. WAGA TOMODACHI - my friends!

The students were involved in the official signing ceremony where Chiba Prefectural Chosei Senior High School and Nossal High School formalised our Sister School relationship. The Chosei Principal Mr Oyama and Mr Page signed a carefully drafted and considered Memorandum of Understanding. We confirmed our commitment to bi-annual Tours to and from Chosei with the students who tour becoming the hosts for the following year’s group. We have also committed to begin a short term exchange program every year for 4 weeks over the summer holidays at each school. This will begin in 2017 with 3-4 students from Chosei visiting in August and 3-4 students who host in August, traveling to Japan for 4 weeks over our summer break.

Students spent three days at school and four days with host families - overwhelmingly they all wanted to spend more time at school! Seriously! So…next time!

Chosei arranged a day trip for us to Narita San, a beautiful temple on the pilgrimage route for many and then a visit and boat ride in Sawara – little Edo, an ancient town near Narita. At school we were treated to a Tea Ceremony, a Haiku and a Calligraphy class and many timetabled and extra-curricular activities. The Chosei Club activities included Karate, Kendo and a range of sports and musical activities. Students participated in Chemistry classes and debating classes - and had so much fun contributing in Japanese and in English and sharing with their new friends. Abhishek was masterful in arguing both sides of the argument on whether to “introduce a social security system that provides a basic income for all Japanese”. He has become somewhat famous at Chosei!

After a teary departure from Mobara and many photos and hugs we left our Chosei families and set off for the final three days in Tokyo.

Students had become such excellent travellers that they were able to set off, after a detailed interrogation by Mr Witt and I, about their plans, for their Tokyo day trips. The students planned their days in groups and mastering the public transport (below and above ground) services, and leaping over the language barrier, they shopped until they dropped, explored the sights and sounds of Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Odaiba, and the electric city of Akihabara and enjoyed every culinary delicacy the restaurants, convenience stores (konbini) and vending machines (jidohanbaiki) could offer.

They were such intrepid travellers. We are so proud of them and it was a privilege to travel with them.

My thanks to Mr Witt for his excellent and invaluable co-tour leadership and to Mr Page for making our dreams of a first Sister School for Nossal come true.

Ms Warner

Languages Domain Leader & Sister Schools Coordinator